Adam Frelin

Escape Trails

cut trails, aluminum signs
350', 97' and 1000' long trails
2003

For a sculpture park in Missouri I was commissioned to create a large-scale, permanent project. I decided to cut trails through the prairie, basing each trail off a prison escape route. Signage at the beginning of the trail describes the escape in text and image, along with the scale used to create it. The route of their escape, which is replicated in miniature in the trail itself, is illustrated on the sign's map. Only escapes in which the fugitives were apprehended were utilized so that each trail comes to a definitive end. The end of each trail is marked with a sign describing where and how the apprehending took place. The person walking the trail reenacts both the prisoner's escape and their unforeseen return.